Galápagos Verde 2050

“Galápagos Verde 2050” is a long-term project implemented by the Charles Darwin Foundation with the Galapagos National Park Directorate’s support. Overall, this project contributes to conserve Galapagos’ natural capital and the well-being of its human population.

One of the greatest problems in the Galapagos Archipelago is the scarcity of water, therefore the project’s focus is to implement initiatives that promote saving this limited resource. Thus, we use three water-saving technologies to achieve the project’s two principle goals: the ecological restoration of degraded ecosystems, and the development of sustainable agricultural practices.

Our ultimate outcome will be to present the Galapagos islands as a model system for ecosystem conservation and human sustainability.

I have always loved islands and plants. Since my undergraduate work on islands in the Gulf of Maine, USA, I have had a strong passion for studying the unique characteristics of island ecosystems and...

After finishing my BSc in Biological Sciences at Durham University in England, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in ecology and conservation and the volunteer programme for the Galapagos Verde 2050...

Ecological Restoration

This component includes 37 study sites, distributed among several islands: Española, Floreana, Northern Isabela, South Plaza, Baltra, San Cristóbal and Santa Cruz. This component’s goal is to restore and conserve ecosystems so that they can recover and maintain their capacity to generate services. Part of this goal is to recover populations of endangered endemic species.

Sustainable Agricultural Practices

This component attempts to understand how technologies can be used to help improve productivity on Santa Cruz and Floreana farms while conserving water use. This research includes 36 study sites on Floreana and Santa Cruz.

Phases of the project

The Galápagos Verde 2050 project is divided into three phases:

Phase 1: Started in 2014 and ended in November 2017. Work was carried out on Santa Cruz, Baltra, Plaza Sur and Floreana Islands.

Phase 2: The project is currently in this phase, which began in December 2017 and will continue until 2027. Here the project will include work on Santa Cruz, Baltra, San Cristobal, South Plaza, Floreana, Isabela and Española Islands.

Phase 3: This last phase of the project will run from 2027 to 2050. Here the project will include work on Santa Cruz, Baltra, South Plaza, Floreana, Isabela, Española, San Cristóbal and Santiago Islands.

The water-saving technologies used by the project are a potential solution for water scarcity in the Galápagos archipelago.

Water-saving technologies used in Phase 1 and 2. Photos by Patricia Jaramillo and Micaela Solís.

All the recorded data is available to the public through our virtual platform and Android application.

Our main goal is to contribute to the conservation of the Galapagos terrestrial ecosystems and to the well-being of the local population, through the ecological restoration of degraded areas and the development of sustainable agricultural practices.

The specific objectives of our project are:

Contribute to the restoration of degraded ecosystems with the goal of recovering and/or maintaining their ability of generating services for the population.

Contribute to the restoration of endangered plant species populations.

Contribute to the control and/or eradication of invasive species in high ecological value areas, both in natural and rural areas.

Apply water-saving technologies to accelerate the recovery process of native and endemic flora of the archipelago with slow natural growth.

Reduce the risk of ingression of exotic species through sustainable agriculture production by contributing to the local sourcing.

Execute experiments to test seed viability and germination for key species for several ecosystems on the islands.

Our results

Summary of the execution of the GV2050 project from 2014 to 2018 (Phase 1 and start of phase 2).

Ecological restoration

Floreana Island: In just 3 years, a dry forest that was completely altered has been 100% restored to its historic diversity of endemic species (Gravel Mine). This is an example of a successful ecological restoration model.

Images taken in August 2014 (left) and August 2017 (right) in Mina de Granillo Negro (Floreana Island). Photo by Patricia Jaramillo.

Baltra Island: A protocol has been designed for the restoration of ecosystems on arid islands such as Baltra where we have planted more than 4000 plants of 12 different species. Currently, the project is based across 3 Ha in three main study sites. The project has also created an ecological corridor and ecological garden under an agreement with the Ecological Airport ECOGAL.

Density of key species in three study sites for ecological restoration in Baltra Island during phase 1 (2014-2017) and beginning of phase 2. Map: Elizabeth Monaghan.Corridor and ecological garden implemented in Baltra airport, during phase 1 (2014-2017). Map: Byron Delgado.

South Plaza Island: Through our planting efforts, the population of Opuntia echios var. echios has tripled in just 3 years. As a keystone ecosystem engineer, O. echios is the main food source for terrestrial iguanas but it had decreased by 85% over the last century.

Opuntia echios echios growing thanks to one of the water-saving technologies after 4 years in South Plaza Island. Photo by the GV2050 Team.

Santa Cruz Island:Scalesia affinis is another species that had substantially declined over the last century, but current planting efforts have increased the population of Scalesia affinis by 35%. In addition to this, we have worked with several institutions on ecological gardens. We also published a book created for promoting the planting of native and endemic plants in the gardens of the four populated islands.

Trilingual book (Spanish, English and Quechua) "Siémbrame en tu Jardín" to encourage the use of endemic and native plants in the Galapagos Archipelago. Photo by CDF.

Isabela Island: The population of Galvezia leucantha var. leucantha has increased by 80%, and the production of seedlings will quintuple its population by next year.

Geographic location of the last remnant of Galvezia leucantha, north of Isabela Island. Map: Byron Delgado.

Española Island: A method for asexual reproduction of Opuntia megasperma var. orientalis was developed and ex situ germination trials using seeds from tortoise excrements is being 2017 tested.

Sustainable agricultural practices

We are developing experiments in six farms on Santa Cruz (3) and Floreana (3) Islands. The study sites include both open-field and greenhouses, with the following objectives: to evaluate the effectiveness of water-saving technologies, both in short-cycle crops and in perennial crops, and to analyze the cost/benefit of the use of the Groasis Technology in agriculture. We evaluated crops of high economic importance including broccoli, tomato, pepper, watermelon and melon. Tomato and pepper are especially important due to their high demand, and would substantially benefit from perennial production.

Education and Outreach

In addition to scientific research, the Galápagos Verde 2050 project is connected with the local community through various activities. Examples include tools such as our publication of the first trilingual book that encourages the creation of ecological gardens using endemic and native plants of Galápagos (Siémbrame en tu Jardín – Sow me in your Garden). In addition, we have organized workshops, conferences and various outreach activities locally, nationally and internationally.

Interpretive area of the GV2050 project. It opens every day for students, tourists and institutions that visit our Research Station. Photo by the GV2050 Team.

Latin-American Verde Awards

We are pleased to share that this project was a finalist in the fifth edition (2018) of the prestigious Latin-American Verde Awards. On 2018 year it had 2733 projects registered from 38 countries, notably: Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Chile, with 713 cities throughout these regions. In this important event, the Galápagos Verde 2050 project was among the 31 finalist projects within which it obtained THIRD PLACE in the "Water" category. Additionally, the project was awarded the Direct TV PROTAGONISTS prize "for having been one of the most outstanding stories, for the clarity of its purpose, its impact, its legacy and its ability to inspire a positive change for the region and for the planet". Read more.

Elisens, W.J. (1992). Genetic divergence in Galvezia (Scrophulariaceae): Evolutionary and biogeographic relationships among South American and Galapagos species. American Journal of Botany 79 (2):198-206.

Vargas, P., Roselló, J.A., Oyama, R. & Güemes, J. (2004). Molecular evidence for naturalness of genera in the tribe Antirrhineae (Scrophulariaceae) and three independent evolutionary lineages from the New World and the Old. Plant Systematics and Evolution 249:151-172

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Every single donation we receive, no matter how small, counts as we are completely dependent on the generosity of others to carry out our scientific projects. We need your passion, loyalty and continual support.

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The “Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands”, in French “Fondation Charles Darwin pour les îles Galapagos”, Association International sans but lucratif (“AISBL”), has its registered office located at Chaussée de la Hulpe 177 Bte 20 (rez) - 1170, Brussels, and is registered under the trade registry of Brussels under the number 0409.359.103.